Within the expansive corridor, the towering yordle stood silently, adorned in the resplendent golden ceremonial armor, exuding an air of solemnity akin to a deity's descent.
"Death walks beside me," the yordle declared with a grave demeanor, extending his right hand, his countenance both dignified and sacred. "Anthropomancy. Divination by entrails. (The rites of death are about to commence, and your entrails shall be used for divination.)"
The aura spreading through the void unmistakably proclaimed the identity of the adversary.
"Ha..." Taking a deep breath, the silver-haired woman stepped forward, shielding Annie and Teemo behind her. "Do you... have any connection to that old crocodile inside?"
Her crimson eyes shimmered with fearless determination.
Yet, the battle had yet to erupt. Behind her, the platform gleamed with brilliant, dazzling light, followed by the resounding oath of the unparalleled ruler.
"By my blood! By my soul! I beseech your judgment here!" The immense roar reverberated through the heavens, "The fate of the Dragon Emperor! [Dragon's Sorrow]!"
A deafening roar—
The Dragon Emperor's thunderous voice erupted, accompanied by an energy explosion that threatened to obliterate all. Even within the corridor, the ferocious winds surged violently, whipping at everyone's garments.
"Thousand Nobles?!" The towering yordle was momentarily taken aback by the shocking revelation. "He is dead? And has been... fashioned into a weapon?"
"No one can fathom the fate of the Dragon Emperor, nor can anyone truly comprehend his sorrow!" Time did not pause for Nasus's astonishment; the energy fluctuations on the platform grew even more tumultuous. "I am the blade that slays the master—[The Thousand Nobles]!"
"O noble warrior! Unrivaled sovereign! Your sorrow, I shall remember! Your choice, I shall engrave upon my heart! Here, I answer your call!" In a roar that shattered the heavens, the unparalleled ruler unleashed his ultimate strike at the cost of his own life, "[Dragon's Sorrow]!"
The blazing golden sun obscured all light, its intense radiance blinding those present, and amidst the chaos, a yordle's frenzied shout pierced through...
"Stop! Stop!!!"
In that fleeting moment of blindness, the silver-haired woman sensed the yordle brushing past her. Instinctively, she pulled the two little ones closer behind her, allowing the yordle to sweep by.
Thus, as the violent energy reached its zenith, a furious divine envoy's cry erupted, "[Time's Reversal]!"
Then, like a wave poised to crash upon the shore only to suddenly recede, the dazzling golden light was forcibly reversed by the laws of time, compressing back to its point of origin before it could fully explode.
"Thud—cough cough..." As the golden light dissipated and her vision returned, Riven beheld the towering yordle, half-kneeling at the corridor's exit, facing away from them.
A pale golden ichor seeped from the cracks in his ebony skin, and blood sprayed from his canine maw. This divine envoy, who had resorted to forbidden magic to save his brother at the last moment, now bore the heavy price of his actions.
Upon the platform, Renekton's body had frozen in place.
[Time's Reversal] could only reverse the explosion of energy; it could not truly rewind time. Thus, at the moment [Dragon's Sorrow] was about to detonate, the terror of impending death still lingered in Renekton's eyes.
He understood well the profound fear that lay between life and death.
The formidable figure stood resolutely upon the platform, yet the sacred flames that once burned fiercely upon him now began to wane. His arms fell limply to his sides, and as a gust of wind swept through, Jarvan's body ultimately succumbed, crashing heavily onto the unforgiving ground.
"Thud—cough cough..." The tremors within his chest erupted as blood spilled from his mouth. Jarvan lay quietly upon the shattered platform, his gaze detached as he stared into the endless, dark void above.
Had he... failed? Alas...
Then, amidst the man's silent sigh, the rigid crocodilian finally regained his senses from the brink of death. His blood-red eyes narrowed, and Renekton regarded the fallen figure on the ground with a complex expression, the mockery on his face fading away.
"Human boy, you are indeed a worthy adversary," he said, stepping silently toward Jarvan, slowly raising his sharp right claw. "Then... let me put an end to your glory."
"Stop!" came the commanding shout of the silver-haired woman from behind.
Renekton paused momentarily, turning to face her. "Do not test my patience, pitiable woman."
His small, blood-red eyes narrowed coldly, harboring a cruel and savage emotion within. "I had initially considered sparing you due to this human's desperate struggle, but I have now changed my mind."
"Such an ignorant fool would be better off devoured outright."
"Ha? Spare us?" Renekton's words elicited a mocking smile from the silver-haired woman. "You, who nearly died twice, speak with such bravado."
"Annie, help me support this sister," Riven gently handed the unconscious Shyvana to Annie and turned to draw her enormous two-handed sword. "I've made my decision; tonight's dinner shall be crocodile meat."
"Hah... arrogant woman," Renekton snarled coldly, his madness bubbling forth. "If it weren't for [The Thousand Nobles] binding me, do you truly believe your pitiful speed could ever strike me?"
"Ah, indeed, your so-called [Dance of the Broken Wings] is a dazzling technique, but..." As he opened his massive maw, Renekton's voice was thick with suppressed bloodlust. "If you cannot land a hit, all is in vain!"
"Whether I can strike you," Riven said, extending her right hand to caress the broad blade, a confident smile gracing her lips, "we shall find out with another attempt, shall we?"
"Hah... confidence and arrogance are but paths to death," Renekton retorted, allowing the pale golden ichor to continue spilling from his wound. He surveyed the surroundings, then revealed a maniacal grin. "And now, the battlefield is reduced to just you and me; the final battle that will determine everything approaches."
"Indeed, despite the unexpected twists, you little humans have surprised me greatly, but alas, the goddess remains steadfastly on my side," he said, licking the ichor from his right claw, laughing madly. "The outcome of this drama cannot be reversed! Hahahaha!!!"
The chilling and frenzied laughter echoed across the darkened platform.
...
The chilling echo of footsteps halted as they caught the frenzied laughter emanating from around the corner of the corridor.
Xiao Mu Yu stood in the center of the passageway, his expression impassive as he carried the golden-haired girl on his back, remaining motionless.
Within the realm of consciousness, the sinister laughter of a demon reverberated.
(What's the matter, human boy? Why have you ceased your advance? Hurry along! Your companions are facing a terrifying foe! Shouldn't you rush to their aid? Or… could it be… heh heh… are you afraid? Afraid that the crocodilian will tear you to shreds?)
(Tsk tsk tsk… it appears you truly are a scoundrel! Not only are you a despicable, shameless loli enthusiast, but now you're also a coward! You really are a fool, human boy! Hahaha…)
"…" Standing silently in the corridor, Xiao Mu Yu did not respond.
A cold and malevolent force gradually spread before him, and his obsidian eyes slowly closed…
He opened them.
In the demon's line of sight, two flickering candle flames were retreating from the exit behind him, while another solitary flame was making its way toward that very exit.
On the platform before him, two feeble candle flames flickered, seemingly on the verge of extinguishment; these belonged to the towering dog-headed Nasus, who had invoked the forbidden divine decree, and the prince of Demacia, who had nearly sacrificed his own life.
Also present were the life flames representing Riven, Annie, Teemo, the unconscious Shyvana, and the crocodilian Renekton—these flames symbolized all life within the entirety of the sealed land.
Yet, amidst that void, a peculiar black flame flickered in and out of existence, gradually approaching, drawn by the lingering essence left in the air by Xiao Mu Yu.
That was… [Fractured Youth].
"Why… does it continue to pursue me?" Xiao Mu Yu asked coldly, his dark pupils harboring an abyss of despair and frost.
(It's quite simple; you prevented the reincarnation of the Goddess of Youth. In essence, you are indirectly the cause of her demise. As the embodiment of her shattered divinity, it is only natural that you become her primary target for vengeance. Do you think you can eliminate others without facing retribution? Heh heh… your sense of justice is rather peculiar, human boy.)
"..." Ignoring the demon's taunts, Xiao Mu Yu stood quietly for a moment, then turned to leave. "If that's the case, then… let it be a fight to the death."
The man's expression remained frigid, yet within that icy tone lay a resolute determination.
(Oh? Have you finally made up your mind? Heh heh… human boy, as your companion, I wish you good fortune, hahaha!!!)
A voice of surprise emerged from the corridor, belonging to Lux. "Huh? Junior brother? Where are you going? Where are Captain Riven and the others?"